It’s beginning to look a lot less bah humbug

This year I have managed to avoid the 4 months of Christmas that happens from September onwards every year.

My secret? The
internet. I never have to set foot in a
shop and all my Christmas shopping is done.

That may also have something to do with the fact that I only
ever buy a couple of Christmas presents; one for our family ‘Kris
Kringle draw’, one for my boyfriend and if
they’re lucky one each for my nieces and nephews.

I’m old fashioned I know, but I
hate good traditions, events that used to be about love and sharing and
celebration, being turned into a consumer frenzy.

I know, I know. I’m a regular bah humbug.

But now there is a Christmas tree in our office and under it
is an ever-rotating pile of colourful and sometimes rowdy toys.

It’s about donating a present to the
more than 8000 abused or neglected Queensland children spending
Christmas away from home.

Our station is a drop-off point.

Yesterday, a courier driver dropped off
2 teddy bears that he had picked out himself, a mad knitter dropped off a bag
full of gorgeous beanies she had made and a family of kids chose to give up
some of their own Christmas presents to go to kids who might otherwise miss
out.

That was just three of the hundreds of
present-bearing pilgrims that have arrived at our door in the last couple of
weeks, many of them whose kids had picked out the presents.

One mother told me why.

“It’s so good to teach them Christmas
and life is about more than just them,” she whispered.

Every time someone arrives with more
gifts, I feel better about the silly season.

And I think I’m even starting to feel
the spirit of Christmas!

I may have even braved the shops and
bought a little something for a little child I’ll never know.